Volume governor for gas mains



Sept, 3%, 1924. v 1,510,115

.11. VAN ACKEREN VOLUME GOVERNOR FOR GAS MAINS Filed Dec. 2, 1918 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2/ 5 I m iii ii '1 H I I 2250 .//"zc 'cwfbr M)! w 4 Sept. 30', 1924. I 1,510,115

7 J1 VAN ACKEREN VOLUME GOVERNOR FOR GAS MAINS Filed Dec. 2, 1918 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JOSEPH VAN ACKEREN, OF PITTSBURGH,

v 1,510,115 PATENT OFFICE.

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB TO THE KOP- DEBS COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVANIA. 1

VOLUME GOVERNOR FOR GAS MAINS.

Application filed December 2, 1918. Serial No. 264,879.

To all whom it may concern Be it'known that I, JOSEPH VAN ACKEREN, a citizen of the United States, and residing in Pittsburgh.'in the county of Allegheny 5 and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Im rovcment in Volume Governors for Gas ains, of which the following -is a specification.

This invention relates to a means for regulating and controlling the amount of mov ing gasflowing through gas ducts, and more particularly for equalizing the volumes of flow in a plurality of ducts, and it was especially devised forthe purpose of controlling or equalizing the delivery of gas collected from coke ovens and distributed through a plurality of ducts to separate series o by-product apparatus. The gas from these ovens is collected into a downcomer,

from which it is drawn through tubular, coolers, and after cooling it is run through by-product apparatus, as through tar extractors, reheaters and saturators, to remove the last traces of tar and to recover the am:

monia that is still remaining in the gas. To move the gas, exhausters are used which pull the gas from the coolers and deliver it through ducts to the above apparatus in which it is subsequently treated. Since it often happens that the quantity of gas handled requires more than one row or series of by-product apparatus, the resistance to delivery, as between one or another series, varies, especially in the saturators, and such variance if not regulated results-in that exhauster which works against the least resistance pumping more than its share of gas and often more than can be properly handled in that series of apparatus.

In the instance shown in the drawings, as an illustrative embodiment of the invention, the means employed for regulating the delive from a plurality of ducts consists in a ha ance comprising two airs of chambers partially filled with liqui which liquid is free to how from one chamber to the other in each pair, the two chambers of each pair being mounted upon opposite arms of a centrally pivoted rocker common to both pairs,

the gaseous contents above the liquid in each pair of chambers being connected by flexible tubes with the interior of one of the gas ducts whose flow is to be e ualized and regulated, but the two pairs 0 chambers being connected with. the respective gas ducts in mutually reverse relation to the direction of gas flow. The open end tube from one of each (pair of the balancing chambers is directe against the current" flowing in the gas duct and the open end of the tube from the other chamber is oppositely directed, the result being that the pressure due to the static head of the gas in the said duct is present in one of the chambers, and the pressure due to the velocity head of the gas in said duct is present in the other chamber. The result is that the liquid in the latter chamber, or some portion of it, is forced to flow into the other chamber where the'pressure is less and this will cause a movement of the balance, which would tip down on the heavier side because of this increase in gravity, unless counterbalanced by an exactly opposite liquid transfer in the other pair of chambers, which are oppositely connected with the gas flow inthe other gas duct. This action of the balance is taken advantage of, by electric contacts and circuits, to close or more or less .cut oil the flow in one or the other of the gas ducts. The excess-of flow being thus 30 checked in one or the other of the ducts, the balance tips backto the normal or balanced position maintained by equalized flow in the two ducts. In the accompanying drawings an apparatus is shown for controllin and equalization of the flow in two gas ucts; H but the system may be extended to a greater number of ducts, or, by predeterminmg the counterbalance, one pair of the balancing chambers may be employed to limit the flow in one gas duct.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 shows a diagrammatic perspective view of the balancing apparatus with a die ram of the electric circuits;

ig. 2 is an end elevation of the balancing apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the balancing apparatus;

gig. .4 is a side elevation of the same; l an Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. dis a detail .section of the contacts.

Referring to said drawings, 10 is a gas duct for conveying the gas from an exhauster and delivering it to by-product apparatus. 11 is a similar duct for the same purpose, delivering'the gas, however, to another series of oy-product apparatus. 12

duct 11, but if is a rocker balanced upon a knife edge 13. Carried by this rocker 12 are hollow tubular arms 14,- 15, 16, 17. The said arms carry at their respective outer ends chambers 18, 19, 20, 21, 18 and 19 being connected together by an intercommunicating pipe 22, and 20 and 21 by a similar intercommunicating pipe 23. Within the gas duct 10 is placed an open-mouthed tube 24 which connects by a flexible hose 25 with the tube arm 14 and through said arm with the chamber 18, being prevented from communicating with the chamber .19 by the central partition 26 (see Fig. 4). In the same gas duct an open-mouthed tube 27, pointingin the same direction as the direction of gas flow in said duct, is connected in the same manner to the chamber 19 on the opposite side of the balance. In the other gas duct, 11, an identically similar arrangement of tubes 28, 29, but oppositely connected '(by crossing each other, as-shown in Fig. 1) to the chambers 20, 21, is provided both pairs of chambers'being mounted upon the same rocker 12. Sometimes it happens that the gas surges in the gas ducts 10 and 11, and to prevent such surging from interfering with the action, a stabilizing chamber 30 for elastic expansion and compression may be dprovided in each of the. tubes 24, 27, 28 an 29, and the volume to the balance may be controlled by a needle valve 31.

On some moving part of the balance is a contact plate or finger 32 and there are two contact points 33 and 34, so that when the chambers 19 and 21 move downward, finger 32 comes in contact with the contact 33 and when the chambers 18 and 20 move downward, said finger comes in contact with 34. In the electric circuits 35 and 36, shown in diagram inFig. 1, are located relays 37 and 38, the contact 33 controlling the relay 37 and the contact 34 controlling the relay 38. These relays may be used respectively to control the opening and closing of the valves that control the flow in the gas ducts 10 and 11. The chambers 18, 19, 20. 21 are all equal in internal dimensions so that the differences inweight between 18 and 20, and 19 and 21 are the same so long as the velocity of the gas in the gas duct 10 is the same'as the velocity of the gas in the gas the difference in levels of liquid in '18 and 19 becomes greater or less than the diflerence in levels of liquid in 20 and '21, the balance will tip in the direct i.0n' of the greater weight, and thus close the circuit that checks the flow in one or the other of the gas ducts .10and 11. It has 2 not been thought necessary to show in detail the working of the electric circuit and its relays, as such a device is common in therfl mostats and other like apparatus. The device for taking the ressure from the gas ducts, consisting oft e-bent open-mouthed tube, is of the character of a Pitot tube.

Where more than two gas mains are to be subject to control, thls balancing apparatus would be arranged with the two pairs of chambers in balance, for two of the mains, and with these together balanced against a separate third air of chambers, for a third main, or against two pairs of balanced chambers, for third and fourth mains, etc.

The springs 39, on the adjustable contact points, 33, 34, have a cushioning or dashpot action serving to check overthrow swing of the balance under any sudden impulse, and to steady its movements and maintain an effective electrical contact while the balance swings in either direction. A support 40 is fixed upon each base plate 41 and pro vided with a tubular bearing 42 in which the free end of the contact-rod, 33 or 34, may slide, the other end of said rod being sustained in and free to slide through the upright 47 and the boss 48 thereon. The tubular bearing 42 is threaded at 43, to provide for adjustment of the knurled disk 44, which bears against one end of the spring 3:". And the contact rod, 33 or 34, is threaded at 45 to provide adjustment for the knurled disk 46 that bears against the opposite end of said spring 39. Both of these disks provide adjustment for the tension of the spring 39, and the disk 46 also provides adjustment for the extent to which the contact-rod 33 or 34 projects through the upright 47 to make contact with the finger 32.

To provide adjustment for one pair of the balancing chambers independently of the other pair, an adjustable counterweight 49, held in place by the thumb screw 50, is slidably mounted on the pipe 22 that connects the pair of chambers 18 and 19.

My invention as herein above sat forth is embodied in a preferred form of construction. but it may be embodied in other constructions and for other purposes within the claims hereinafter made.

I claim:

1. In a volume governor for gas ducts, in combination: a palr of ducts for the flow of gas; a liquid balance, and connections for transmitting to reversely o posite sides thereof the velocity head and t e static head of the gas flow in the respective ducts, whereby unequal flow in said ducts willtip the balance and equalized flow restore it; an controlling means operated by the swing of the balance, for limiting the flow in one or the other of said ducts according to the 1nequality between them.

2. In a volume governor for gas ducts, i" combination: a plurality of ducts for the ow of gas, a balance operable by the difl'erential of the pressures of variable gas pressures in said ducts, and connections for transmitting thereto impulses corresponding to the variations in the volume of flow in the respective ducts; and controlling means operated by the disturbing of the balance,

3. In a volume governor for gas ducts, in

combination: a pair of ducts for the flow of gas; a liquid balance comprising two pairs of liquid chambers, the members of each pair being intercommunicating and di on opposite sides of the balance; tubes movably connecting one of said pairs of chambers with one of said ducts, and the other pair with the other duct, the tube ends entering each duct being respectively presented to and away from the direction of flow of the 7 gas, and such arrangement being in mutually reverse position in the two ducts, whereby thevelocity head of the gas flow is transmitted from one duct to-one side of the balance and from the other duct to the other side, and the static head transmitted oppositely; and controlling connections energized by the tipping of the balance, for checking the flow in one or the other of the ducts accordingly as it becomes greater in one than in the other. v

4. In combination with a plurality of gas ducts, through which gas flows, a means for regulating the flow of the gas through each of said ducts, operated by the velocity head 7 of such flow, through the instrumentality of a balance which responds to the difierential pressures of variable gas pressures of a plu rality of gas volumes.

5. In combination with a gas duct, through which gas flows, a means for regulating the flow of the gas through the duct, operated by the velocity head of such flow, through the instrumentality of an adjustable liquid balance.

6. In combination with agas duct, through which gas flows, a means for regulating the flow of the gas through the duct, operated by .the velocity of such flow, through the instrumentality of an adjustable liquid balance having two chambers, each connected by a bent tube to the flow of gas in the main, the open mouth of one tube being turned to re ceive said flow and the open mouth of the other tube bein turned to not receive said flow, whereby e pressure due to the velocity head of the gas in the gas duct is transmitted to one chamber, and the pressure 7 due to the static head of the gas flow is transmitted to the other chamber, thus causing a movement of the balance accordingly as the velocity head is increased or diminished from a given amount.

7. The combination of a plurality of gas ducts adapted to contain flo s, each gas duct being provided with a liquid bal-' ance, and the balances being connected together and controlled by the velocity head of the flow of gas in the several ducts.

8. In a volume governor for gas ducts, in combination: a pair of ducts for the flow of gas; a liquid balance, and connections for transmitting to reversely opposite sides thereof the velocity head and the static head of the gas flowin the respective ducts, whereby unequal flow in said ducts will tip the balance and equalized flow restore it; controlling means operated by the swing of the balance for limiting the flow in one or the other of said ducts according to the inequality between them; and means tocushion and steady the swing of the balance.

9. In a volume governor for gas ducts, in combination: a plurality of ducts for the flow of gas; a-balance, and connections for transmitting thereto impulses corresponding to the variations in the volume of flow in the respective ducts; controlling means op-' JOSEPH van ACKEREN.

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